Is Bill Self highest paid coach in college basketball? Exploring Kansas HC's salary, net worth and more
This summer, a slew of coaches including John Calipari and Eric Musselman agreed to new contracts and shifted universities yet, one contract stands above them all. Bill Self stands as the highest-earning coach in men’s college basketball. He is slated to earn over $9 million ($9,453,800 in school pay and $171,842 in other), surpassing Calipari’s $8.5 million deal with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Coach Self solidified a lifetime contract with Kansas on March 31, 2021. The five-year rollout structure was amended before the start of the 2023-24 season. The honor came in light of Bill Self’s illustrious history of serving the Jayhawks program. He has been the head coach since 2003 and led them to 17 Big 12 conference regular season titles, four NCAA Final Fours and two NCAA championships.
He is one of the most respected coaches in the program's history and also became the winningest coach in Jayhawks history on Nov. 12, 2024.
The contract comes with plenty of benefits. The coach can use up to $20,000 each month to accommodate his family’s travel for away games, to use a suite at the Jayhawks' games and for club memberships (Lawrence Golf Club and Alvamar Country Club). Other benefits include a life insurance policy in the $4 million range.
Incentives in Bill Self’s lifetime contract:
- Big 12 regular season title: $50,000
- Big 12 tourney title: $25,000
- AP Coach of the Year award: $100,000
- NCAA tournament participation: $50,000
- NCAA Sweet 16 appearance: $100,000
- NCAA semifinals appearance: $150,000
- NCAA championship: $200,000
These incentives take effect accumulatively and one does not override the other. For example, if Kansas makes it to the Final Four, the incentives for the Sweet 16 and NCAA tourney appearances will still be paid.
Bill Self's Kansas have hit a slump
Coach Bill Self’s Kansas Jayhawks have been relegated from the top spot on the AP rankings to No. 10 in week five of the season. The Jayhawks opened the season on a 7-0 run, holding the No. 1 spot till early December. However, in Kansas's latest matchups, the program suffered back-to-back losses against the Creighton Bluejays and Missouri Tigers.
Self said that his team was still finding its identity in the early part of the season Nevertheless, the two-time AP College Coach of the Year is determined to make the Jayhawks a contending unit by the time March comes around.
In their next two matchups, the Jayhawks face off against the Brown Bears and the NC State Wolfpack. Self's team has been led by Center Hunter Dickinson who averages 15.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 1.4 bpg.